Garage door opening and closing device



Dec. 8, 1931. J. w. WARD ET AL GARAGE DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE Filed Dec. 10, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Q 3 Nu Cttomcg J. W.'WARD ET AL 1,335,735 GARAGE DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING DEVI CE Dec. 1931.

Filed DEC. 10, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 8, 1931- UNITED STATES JOHN W. WARD AND BER-RY A. WARD, OF MILLERSBUBG, MISSOURI I Y GARAGE noon OPENING mn'onosi vs nnvron Application filed December 10, 1929. "Serial fio. 412,969.

Our invention relates to improvements in garage door opening and closing devices wherein the weight of the car or other vehicle is utilized to open the door as the car ap-' to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application and later described in the annexed specification.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective illustrating one application of the invention;

Fig. 2, a fragmentary detail;

Fig. 3, a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4, a longitudinal vertical section; and

Fig. 5, a similar view showing the door open due to the depression of itsassociated platform.

In the drawings a garage or other buiiding 10 is shown provided with right and left double doors 11 and 12. The garage is supported on a concrete base or other formation 13 which usually extends a substantial distance in front to form a drive way.

In carrying out the present invention a platform 14 is mounted in a position to be engaged by a vehicle about to enter oremerge from a garage and the platform is supported in a receiving recess or well 15 in the concrete foundation 13. The platform 14 comprises a pair of longitudinally disposed spaced 1- beams 16 upon which is mounted a suitable flooring of lumber or other desired material. The ends of the I-beams 16 project into the concrete foundation or beneath an overhanging ledge 17 to prevent the platform from tipping up at its ends. The platform is sup ported by means of a central bar or cross member 18,'ina manner to be hereinafter more fully set-forth; This member is placed substantially midway betweenthe ends of the platform and maintains the same substan-' tially balanced upon this cross member 18. As shown particularly in Fig. 1, the supporting member has'its ends extende'd'and such ends are loosely receivedin recesses in the concrete foundation 13 and extend beneath brackets 19 and 20 fixed to the concrete foundation and having spaced opposed sides 21 through each pair of which extends a pivot 22. "Upon each pivot -22 is mounted a door operatinglever 23' which has its rear and shorter'end adjustably connected by means of a link 24 with the cross member 18 and with its forward and longer end provided with a loop or eye 25 slidably engaging a bracket 26 located in parallel relation to the edge of the door remote from the hinges upon 7 which the door is mounted. The lever 23 performs the operation of opening and closing the door, its weight on the longer end and the employment of a spring 27 serves to close the door andthe swinging upward of the lever by the depression ofthe platformcauses the loop 25' on the long end ofthe'le'ver to ride upwardly 'along the bracket'26 and swing the door to the open position. It will be understood of course thattlie pivot 22 for the lever'23 is supported a distance from the hinged edge, of the door substantially equal to the distancefromjthe hinged edge of the door-to bracket 26. Furtheiyby observation of Fig. 2 it will be readily understood that 35 i the lever 23 is loosely mounted on the pivot 22 and therefore can swing laterally a limited amount upon its support. r As stated, the link i 24 attached to and *sus pended from the shorter ends of the levers 23 are pivotally connected at their other ends with the bar or cross member 18, adjacent its ends. The platform 14 is substantially balanced on this bar 18, and the weight of the long ends of levers 23 andthe force of springs 27 serve to suspend the platform in its elevated position substantially as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. The weight of the vehicle depresses the platform 14, as shown in Fig. 5.

While the operation of a pair of doors has V tures.

i j T r 7 1,835,736

been described, it will be understood that the device may be used with only one door and, further, the platform instead of being substantially flush with the concrete foundation,

might be supported slightly above or any other desired relation, and we do not limit ourselves to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

10 We claim:

1. Door opening and closing mechanism comprising a platform supporting bar, a platform carried by said bar, brackets mounted adjacent to and over the ends of said bar,

levers pivotally mounted on said brackets with long ends extending toward the doors and short ends overhanging the ends of the bars, links connecting the short ends of the "lovers withthe ends of said bar whereby the platform is supported, means for slidably connecting the long ends of saidleverswith theswinging edges ofthe-doors, and means associated with the long ends of the levers to overcome the weight of the platform and normally close the doors. v

l 2. With a pair of swingingly mounted r doors toelose an opening, a'recess within the floor adj aeent to the door opening, aplatform loosely received within the recess with its ends held against swinging movement above the recess, a bar associated with the platform, said bar having extending ends, brackets mounted adjacent to and bridged over the ends of the bar, levers pivotally mounted in said brackets with short ends overhangin said barends and long ends extending to the swinging edges'of. the doors, sliding connections between the long ends of the levers and said doors, links connected with the short 40 ends of' said levers and the ends of the bar tosupport the platform from said levers when the doors are closed, and springs acting upon the long ends of said levers to normally swingthe levers to the door closing and platform suspending positions. v

, In. testimony whereof we aifix our signa- JOHN w. WARD.

, ERR A, WARD. f 

